Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1887-10-22
ABOUT SEA SICKNESS.
DOES NOT AVERAGE OVER THIRTY.
SIX HOURS IN DURATION.
A Picture OF Steamship Existence as It
Really Is-The First Three Days-Many
Outrk Cura.

Sea sickness, though probable. is not
inevitable, and does not average more
than thirty-six hours in duration. To
those who fancy that life on shipboard is
solitary confinement in a miniature hos
pital, a picture should be presented Of
steamer existence as it really is. A few
Of the passengers-many Of whom piously
believe that they are foreordained and
predestined to be sick, and for that reason
succumb easily-disappear from sight
within q few hours after leaving the dock.
A few more eat two or three hearty meals,
are particularly jolly and sociable for the
first day ont, then likewise disappear.
OF the rest, there is the man who has
crossed the ocean twenty-six times, sir;
never sick a minute, sir-not a single
minute. sir" and who looks with uncon-
cealed contempt upon the miserable faces
or retreating figures Of his less fortunate
companions; the man who never crossed
before, expected to be sick, is sure he is
not-so far; wonders il he will be, and il
so, when, and 'if not, why not?" and the
quiet, pleasant faced tourist who makes
no comments, asks no questions, walks
about contentedly, or settles himself with
book or paper in his chair as much at
home as IL in his own parlor or counting
room.
II FIRST THREE DAYS
For the first two or three days the din
ing saloon has but scanty attendance, and
the labors of the waiter are light. BY
the third or fourth day out the seats grad
ually fill up and attendance at table be-
comes regular enough for the passengers
to venture on Good morning" ETC.,
which very soon is ampliied in a quite
extended conversation and a comfortable
sense OF making pleasant acquaintances.
To be sure, there are generally a few I'M
fortunate souls who are completely
wrecked, body and brain, from one side
of the sea to the other; who never appear
above deck, never eat, never sleep, or Mt
any rate never admit that they do, and
who find an ocean steamer a perfect tor
ture chamber. But these are always ex-
ceptional cases and always out Of sight.
There are as many theories as to the cause
Of this disturbance as there are waves OF
the sea, and almost an equal number of
remedies. But that Zone mans meat is
another mans poison is especially true
of this affection, and it is foolish to follow
any prescription for cure simply because
it is a prescription and has been known to
cure somebody. Strong and healthy per-
sons are sometimes the ones most quickly
and seriously affected, the weak and sickly
escaping altogether. That it is caused by
motion is proved by the fact that many
susceptible persons have 1t on LAND.
Almost everybody has experienced the
peculiar sinking sensation produced by a
swing or tie start Of q hotel elevator, and
''sea sickness is just like that, only q
million times more So" as an eloquent
sufferer once declared. 1t has been found
to affect the nervous system, and through
that the stomach and brain, between
which there is the closest sympathy. For
that reason nothing is more helpful rs a
preventive than following and conform
ing as much as possible to the motion of
the ship. This, which Is the result Of
conscious effort OF the part of the passen-
ger, becomes habitual with the sailor,
whose body unconsciously follows the roll
of the ship and becomes SO strong n habit
that his gait is noticeable on shore. All
writer's and physicians agree in recon-
mending a horizontal position and m ex-
tenSive cultivation of the will power.
A QUICK CURE.
Nothing so cffectually cures this dis
order as u sudden fright or start. The
mournful tolling Of the fog bell of the
Banks of Newfoundland, a whisper Of
approaching icebergs, an anxious express
sion upon the face of the captain peering
from the bridge, the sudden rush Of a
ships officer across the deck-these have
been known to counterfeit nausea more
~effcctually than any other means.
The writer recalls an instance in which
q wretched sufierer--the object OF un-
usual and universal sympathy, because a
remarkably beautiful car
ried up to the deck and laid out upon
cushions in hopes that q change Of scene
might revive her. In less than five min
utes two great waves following in success
sion-as they often will most unexpect-
eddy and without the least warning
broke over the PROSTATE figure. In less
than a minute she had struggled to Eer
feet, meeting the passengers with a ring
ing laugh and the assertion made with
gasping breath, "There! / believe that's
cured me!'-as indeed it proved. She
has crossed the ocean many times since,
never experienced the slightest discom-
fort and always recommends to others as
a sovereign remedy, "a good dash Of the
Atlantic ocean when you are least expect
ing it," The same lady developed after
her recovery q most voracious appetite,
and had difficulty in satisfying her crav-
ing for an article Of food she always be-
fore regarded with adherence and never
tasted-ooiled cabbage.-Cor. Boston
Traveller.